Death Network
Death Network, often referred to as the "death game" by inhabitants of the Fabricated Dimension, was a massive Dueling simulator where winning or losing spelled one's fate. Winning meant leaving the game as a protector of the recreated world, while losing meant death or permanent confinement. It is loosely based off Sburb from the webcomic Homestuck and various other death arena stories, although with several key differences. Game Mechanics Main Players Death Network runs through the internet, but has supernatural properties that allow it to create Solid Vision in the player's world. Its true goals are unknown to the players, who believe that this is merely another Dueling simulation with added features. Before signing up to play the game, players must buy a Deck reader and scan each of their cards through it into Death Network's database. They must clearly indicate which cards they intend to use in their main and side Decks, and which ones will only be used as ante cards. This is to ensure that players are actually using cards that they own and sticking to one Deck type, and aren't using counterfeits. Over the first day, nothing seems to happen, but the world around the players over that week will slowly distort and crumble away, ensuring that all non-players die and have their consciences trapped within the game's database. Even the players may die if they're unskilled. Ultimately, players must find five key cards that correspond to one of 8 "planets," then use them to open a portal into the virtual realm, where the true game begins. The first sixteen players to reach the planets "win" the preliminary round, and other players cannot open the portals and end up sealed within the game. They are thrown into the Des Corridors, where they enter a free-for-all gauntlet. Duels are intense, as players are given their first taste of Action Cards, and cannot activate any Field Spells of their own, remove the corridor, or even surrender the Duel. The first 12 players who reach 25 wins advance on a different path, while all others have their conscience trapped within the game until (or if) it ends. Players who have higher win counts have a bounty on their heads, as any player who defeats them can "kill" them (remove them from the game) and steal half the wins that they had acquired up to that point, rounded down. On each planet, there are two players that must face off as opponents. The Field Spell Card for the planet is active permanently and cannot be removed, forcing the players to adapt to the new conditions. They are then given one month to Duel against NPCs and get a feel for the Action Card mechanic, as well as the conditions of their planet. During this time, players are free to contact each other regardless of planet placement, but at their own discretion. At the end of the 1-month period, the players on a given planet will then Duel against one another in one decisive Duel. The winner of this Duel (the assigned "protector" of the planet) receives their planet's Field Spell and is free to travel to other planets and casually Duel as they see fit, warming up for future NPC boss fights. The loser of this Duel (the "flop") is at the winner's mercy; the game will turn off its filters and restrain the loser's actions. End-game is easier with a healthy cast of all 16 original players to battle the final boss, however, so any depraved actions lead to a great disadvantage against every player in the session. Scions The alternate path out of the Des Corridors. The twelve players who made it out are assigned as scions, and are placed on a separate planet from the others. There, they will duel in "brackets" of 4 people to determine the three players most suited to fighting alongside the protectors at the end of the game. Like with the "flops," the losers in this stage are completely at the winners' mercy. The scions then wait until the end of the game, where they face the final boss alongside the protectors, but not as equals - they each start off with 2500 LP instead of 8000, and must skip their first Draw Phase. The final boss has 72,000 LP and pits the team of players into specific situations that they must find outs to among themselves. Duels with this boss usually take days to complete. Unfinished Category:Fanfic